A Note in the Sand
by Perfect Pirate Captain
Summary: Oneshot. Jack never told Elizabeth how he felt. Now when she finds him and confesses her love, he turns her down. A month later he hears she has done the unthinkable. What will happen to our brave captain? JE


A/n: I just had inspiration for this one-shot suddenly so here I am. Reviews?

A Note in the Sand

_One Month Prior _

Docking in the small pirate port known as Tortuga was always an event his merry crew of bloodthirsty pirates looked forward to. After all what reason was for them not to. It provided them everything a pirate could ever want or wish for; all the rum they could drink, all the pleasurable company they could woo and hundreds of tavern to play a hand or so of poker. As the crew ran into the town all eager to participate in the hundreds of possibilities that Tortuga promised, their Captain tied his ship to the dock leaving behind a short pirate known as Marty to watch over his legendary ship; the black pearl.

Now Captain Jack Sparrow always no matter where he was, was a man who drew a lot of attention to himself and being the proud captain he was. He enjoyed it. The moment he stepped into Tortuga that afternoon was no exception to that tradition. Women of all kinds, from the very fat to the well masked in makeup, left their current companies and rushed towards the devilishly handsome pirate captain.

As the women dove at his feet, tugged at his clothes, ran their dirty fingers over various parts of his body, Captain Jack Sparrow cocked his trademark smirk. True enough that smirk was large and gold-toothed and very appealing to the women as they obviously believed his was enjoying this, but underneath that smirk. Underneath the chocolate brown eyes, the pirate get-up and the shell which he had spent so many years building. Was a Man. A heart-broken man.

Many would scoff at that idea. Captain Jack Sparrow of all people, heartbroken? Now although this idea was hard to believe it was true. However no one could tell or really cared for a matter of fact. The women just wanted his body. The men just wanted him dead. His crew just wanted his ship. There was no one who really wanted him for being the man he was born, not the man he had conjured up. Well...that was except for Elizabeth.

The very woman who had claimed his heart all those years ago. Who had fought by his side till the end. The very woman he married off to his best friend. The very woman who he had let slip out of his fingers instead of telling her how he felt.

No, she was gone out of his life for good, married to Will in Port Royal where she belonged. The beautiful Governor's daughter was who she was and who he; a pirate could never have. True enough pirates take what ever their heart's desire and she was his heart's desire..only he cared too much for her to take her away from her home where she was safe. After all her death would cause him a far greater pain than the current heart break he now experienced, increasingly if he were the very cause of her death.

"I don't need bloody Elizabeth Swann" he muttered under his breath, refusing to call her Elizabeth Turner.

"What was that Jack darling" A dominant red head by the name of Scarlett crooned.

"Er nothing" he replied quickly realizing that he had spoken aloud.

"That good, now whats say we go and have a little fun eh?" she suggested tilting her body at an angle which best displayed her already visible brimming chest.

"Not tonight darling...business to attend to" he spoke quickly.

"Humph" was the last thing she said in his direction before she slapped him across his left cheek and walked away in the direction of a dirty old pirate who was currently fingering two golden coins.

He let out a long sigh as he rubbed the side of his cheek. The women that surrounded him not so long ago had disappeared out of sight, and as the sun began to set softly into the night. Captain Jack Sparrow soon found himself alone in the town of Tortuga.

Gone were the women of the night, gone were the various pirates who had retired to various bar rooms to sleep with the women. The only sounds filling the usually excited town, were the occasional ruffle of leaves and the scurry of bar rats as they traveled across the streets. As he reached for his trusty belt which always contained a bottle or two of rum, he made his way over to a nearby alley way where he could drink in peace and be alone with his own thoughts.

However his time in the alley way was not going to be as peaceful as he had hoped, for her face was constantly in his mind. No matter how much rum he drowned, her voice, her soft kiss, and the way she felt pressed against his body would not leave his mind. She haunted him, every where he looked despite the amount of achol intake, she wouldn't leave his thoughts. As he closed his kohl rimmed eyes trying best to numb the awful pain his heart was providing him, his ears suddenly pricked at the soft sound of footsteps approaching him. The sweet smell of lavender filling his nostrils.

He knew that smell anywhere. He had to be imagining it. Could it really be her? Looking for him of all people? No. Of course not. His mind was simply playing a trick on him.

That was what he believed and was determined to believe. That was of course..until she spoke to him.

"Jack"

Could that really be her voice? The voice he dreamed of every night?

"Jack are you awake?" she spoked softly once more.

Cautiously she made her way closer to him, kneeling softly in front of him. Watching him silently as she studied his every expression, every facial detail, everything about him.

"Jack..." she whispered this time, reaching out to gently crease his right cheek, her thumb rolling over it so lightly he believed that it was nothing more than the wind.

As she looked at the man her very heart wrenched for, sit there in what appeared to be a state of unconsciousness, she allowed a solemn tear to roll down her pale cheek. She had done it, she had done the unthinkable. She had left her home, her husband, her father, everything that she knew, to come and find the very man who had captured her heart. Now here he was in front of her, unresponsive and completely unaware of her presence.

More tears slipped before she could help it. Brushing them away furiously she stood up. No she was not furious at Jack, well maybe a little after all it was her fault she was here. She was the one who left her safe home and safe husband to come and find the pirate. She was the one who expected him to take her away, back to the pearl where they would sail the seas together and lay in each other's arms.

However as she turned to leave, she found her self stopping and turning back the captain. Bending down to his height she placed a soft yet loving kiss on his lips. Just wanting to taste him once more, to feel the adrenaline and the emotions that followed.

Was that really her lips upon his? It was hard for him to believe. Him of all people being kissed out of love by the likes of her. Opening his eyes he found that it was not the wind that he felt upon his sea chapped lips but her very soft sweet lips. The taste lingered on his lips and the want for more was unbearable. Looking around the dark alley way for any sign of his love, he saw none and wasted no time in leaping to his feet. The rum bottle which lay in his lap falling and cluttering to the ground, its amber liquid spilling onto the dirt.

As Jack left the alley way he found himself wandering through the abandoned streets of Tortuga with no guide but his instinct telling him where to go. He passed numerous taverns, many he had spent nights drinking and playing poker.

Pulling out his trusty black weathered compass he flicked open the lid, praying for once that his compass would show him what he wanted most, despite the hours he had spent pleading with it to point else where.

The compass had chosen to not obey his wishes that very moment, its red arrow teasingly spun around and around as if it were laughing at him. It's numbers blurring as if showing him the hundreds of places his Elizabeth could be at that very moment.

Frustrated he threw his trusty compass against the wall of a tavern known as the Black Dagger, feeling oddly satisfied as it shattered and it's pieces scattered in many directions.

"ELIZABETH!" he shouted sounding almost desperate.

A few windows and doors opened.

"ELIZABETH WHERE ARE YOU? DAMN IT!" he shouted louder his voice becoming desperate.

A few heads begun to peek out of the top floor windows, watching Jack in the up most curiosity. Many of the heads women he had spent the nights with on previous occasions. Along with the odd member of his crew.

Thats when he saw her a few yards up ahead, in tears crying uncontrollably. Her sobs drowning out his desperate calls. He ran. As fast as he could carry himself, running towards her with the utmost concern and desire. His long black dreaded hair blowing furiously as he ran.

She barely had time to look up before he pulled her up into his arms, his arms cradling her body tightly. Their lips meeting as they kissed with such passion that tears begun to run down the faces of the women. Not just because it seemed Captain Jack Sparrow was in love, no because they had never experienced anything like this before. It was something they all grew up wanting from a young age, but when it never came to them they turned to becoming ladies of the night. The need to be wanted was too much for them to bare.

As they broke apart, Elizabeth's honey brown eyes stared into his chocolate brown eyes. Her mouth parting slowly to speak. Speak the words that she longed to tell him, but had never had the courage for fear of rejection.

"Jack..I..I..I love you" she choked out, laying her feelings out in the open.

His eyes widened at her confession, she loved him back! And that was all that mattered for him as he lent down to cover her mouth with his own. His tongue parting her lips slowly and entering her mouth with the utmost passion that he felt for her. His stomach filled with butterflies as her hands gripped onto the back of his neck pulling him closer.

Never had he felt like this before, not with anyone.

As they broke apart once more, she looked up at him patiently waiting. Waiting for him to say the words she longed so dearly to hear pass his lips.

He opened his mouth slowly. The entire port of Tortuga who were now fully awake, watching the show and listening carefully leaned closer in the direction of the couple.

"Elizabeth..I..."

Just as he was about to complete his sentence an image flashed through his mind. The reason he left her in the first place reminding him of what could happen.

_The blade of a bloodthirsty pirate piercing her very torso, turning with a deadly force. Blood emitting from her sweet full lips, her eyes closing peacefully as she fell to the ground. Dead. _

Stopping himself in the nick of time, he stepped back from her. His heart wrenching at the idea of leaving his sweet Elizabeth once more. Espically since he now had her, her heart belonged to him and only him as did his.

"Elizabeth I can't, I don't want you to get hurt" he whispered for her ears only.

"Bullshit" she cursed as tears ran down her cheeks. Rejection had claimed her in the most cruel forms.

Turning away from him she ran. Ran straight from the decks leaving the man she loved behind to contemplate his actions.

Jack stood their immobilized, his body still warm from where she had pressed her curved body against him only a few minutes ago. His heart ached more than it ever had. Falling to his knees as an act of desperation he gripped the stone pavement, squeezing so tightly that his hand became numb. Yet it did not diminish the pain his heart provided him.

Tortuga was silent once more, only however this time the town's people and pirates were visible. All watching the Captain with sadness, some pitying him, others hating him for experiencing what they never could, and finally those who thought of him as an idiot.

There was no sense denying it, she was there in front of him giving him her heart and he had refused it. All because he wanted to protect her. From what was the mystery he was now realizing.

Had he really wanted to protect her from other pirates?

Or from himself? Did he fear that he would break her heart?

...Or was he really just a coward, afraid that the beautiful Elizabeth Swann would break his own?

_One month later_

As Jack entered the small town of Port Royal, the very town he had spent his past month avoiding memories rushed back to him. Watching Elizabeth leave. Her proclaim her love for him. Everything from the day he rescued her from the watery grave which almost claimed her life.

Looking around the town he realized that it was as silent as Tortuga had been that fateful night. The reason for his visit and the emptiness of the town worrying him.

About two week prior Tia Dalma herself had appeared on the deck of his very ship telling him that Elizabeth had committed the unthinkable. This had alarmed him greatly, but not enough to go directly to Port Royal and inspect. No she had Will to look after her, after all. Him going there would only make matters worse...that was until he received a letter from Will. A letter requesting that he return to Port Royal immediately.

This time he didn't waste a minute thinking about it, and had ordered the ship around that very second. Something was wrong he could feel it.

"Jack Sparrow I presume" A naval officer called to him.

Jack turned around to find the young man briskly walking towards him his face grave and his expression blank.

"Yes"

"Come with me quickly" he spoke in a rush grabbing Jack by the arm and dragging him off away from the town but in a completely different direction to that which he came.

Passing abandoned homes, mansions, small shops, the smithy, the fort, and a marketplace he found himself reminiscing his last visit to the port. Thinking back to his duel with Will and his almost hanging in the town square. His thoughts drifted back to Elizabeth, the way she felt in his arms. From the first time he had carried her out of the water to their last meeting in that godforsaken port of Tortuga.

Before long he found himself standing on a beach, hundreds of people could be seen making their way back home after what appeared to be a very long...

...funeral?

His heart skipped a beat.

Someone was dead? Could it be Elizabeth? The very woman he left, breaking his heart, to protect her life?

No! Not her! Not his Elizabeth! She was strong, she was tough, she was fierce and unstoppable.

That was what he believed..until he saw the teared expression on the face of William Turner Jr. his left hand clutching a single piece of paper. His expression that of a broken man.

Upon seeing Jack he didn't say anything. No he simply placed the slightly damp sheet of paper in his grimy hands before disappearing into the crowd.

Jack found himself once again frozen, in the same manner as last time. However this time instead of his dear Elizabeth leaving him, it could be worst. She could be...dead.

Lowering his gaze to the sheet of paper which blew furiously he begun to read.

_Dear Jack,_

_I'm sorry you never did love me as I loved you. _

_Perhaps one day we shall meet again._

_With all my love and my heart which you have claimed._

_Elizabeth _

He didn't know how long he stood there in silence his eyes reading each word written in her beautiful loop handwriting. Her suicide note had been addressed to him of all people. He had been the cause of her death. The very thing he had tried so hard to prevent, destroying his own heart in the process and now causing Elizabeth to claim her own life.

Falling to his knees he allowed the salty waves of the sea to soak his pants, not caring in the slightest who saw as a silent tear grazed his cheek. His brown eyes filled with sadness and heartbreak.

"I'm sorry I never told you I loved you Elizabeth" he whispered his voice carried off into the distance.

Another tear escaped his eyes.

"_You just did" _


End file.
